Machines for applying reinforcing cords to the edges of a web



Oct. 24,1961 B. E. KUCONIS 3,005,434

MACHINES FOR APPLYING REINFORCING CORDS TO THE EDGES OF A WEB Filed June5, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor BarneyEKuconz's By his Attorney B. E.KUCONIS 3,005,484

MACHINES FOR APPLYING REINFORCING CORDS TO THE EDGES OF A WEB Oct. 24,1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 5, 1959 United States Patent C f3,005,484 MACHINES FOR APPLYING REINFORCING CORDS TO THE EDGES OF A WEBBarney E. Kuconis, Beverly, Mass., assignor to Hoague- SpragueCorporation, Lynn, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed June 5,1959, Ser. No. 818,386 2 Claims. (Cl. 156-438) This invention relates toa machine for reinforcing pasteboard webs and more particularly tomachines for applying reinforcing cords to webs from which box or cartonblanks may be made.

Certain types of boxes, such as shoe boxes, are used repeatedly, andtheir edges in particular are subjected to considerable strain by storeclerksrand the like. To prevent tearing of the boxes and/ or the coversat these locations subject to greatest strain, it is the practice toreinforce the bOXes in these locations, and to provide for maximumstrength, the reinforcement must be effective at the very edge of thebox or cover.

Recognizing this fact there have been many attempts to reinforce suchboxes by applying reinforcing cord to the edges of the pasteboard websfrom which the box blanks are to be cut. According to normal practicethe pasteboard webs are covered on one side with a web of cover paperwider than the pasteboard web. The excess of cover material isthereafter folded about the edges of the web so that the boxes formedtherefrom will have finished edges. Methods of reinforcement generallyin use contemplate the placement of reinforcing cords at the edges ofthe web before the cover paper is folded thereover. However, it has beenextremely diifioult to maintain the cord at the very edges of the webwhile the cover paper is folded. One method proposed includes the stepof slitting the edges of the web to retain the cord in place while thecover is folded. This method requires that the web be guided withextreme accuracy both for slitting the edges and for placing thereinforcing cords in the slits. This has led to the use of guides whichmust maintain close tolerances with the edges of the web and since paperis extremely abrasive the guides are exposed to excessive wear. Thus theguides must be constantly adjusted to maintain close tolerances.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to avoid the abovecomplexities and to provide a machine for applying reinforcing cords tothe opposite edges of the paste board web simultaneously with theapplication of a cover paper thereto. To this end the pasteboard web isfed between a pair of opposed pressure rolls along a plane generallynormal to the bite of the rolls. The web of cover paper is also fed tothe bite of the rolls but along a plane converging with the first planeat the rolls so that the paper web is wrapped around a portion of one ofthe pressure rolls. The reinforcing cords are fed along a plane betweenthe pasteboard web and the paper web so that the cords contact the coverpaper before engaging the edges of the pasteboard web. The cords areguided into alignment with the edges of the pasteboard web by cordguiding members which engage the edges of the pasteboard web at pointsin advance of but closely adjacent the bite of the rolls. According to apreferred embodiment of the invention, the guide members are mounted forunitary lateral movements for following the edges of the web regardlessof its lateral displacement. Since the paper web and the reinforcingcords are both coated with adhesive there is no tendency for the cordsto be displaced while the cover paper is folded around the cord and theedges of the web.

The above and other features of the invention, including various detailsof construction and novel combina- Patented Oct. 24, 1961 tions of partswill now be described with reference to the drawings and pointed out inthe claims.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a side elevation diagrammatically illustrating one form ofmachine incorporating the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a section along the line I'I- II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section along the line III- III of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a section along the line IVIV of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a plan View of the machine; and

FIG. 6 is a section along the line VI-VI of FIG. 5.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 5, a web of pasteboard 20 is fed from asupply roll 21 by a pair of feed rolls 22. After passing through thefeed rolls the web is fed between adjustable edge guides 24 whichprevent any appreciable lateral movement of the web. The web thereafterpasses between pressure or combining rolls 26 and 28. For covering thepasteboard web a web of cover paper 29 is fed from a supply roll 30 andover an adhesive applying roll 32 which is coated with adhesive from atray 34. The paper web thereafter passes between the combining rolls 26and 28 to be applied to the Web 20. As seen in FIG. 1, the pasteboardweb 20 is fed along a plane substantially normal to the bite of thecombining rolls. The cover paper is fed from a point spaced above thepasteboard web along a path forming an angle with the path of thepasteboard web so that the paper is wrapped around a portion of theupper combining roll 26.

Reinforcing cords 40 to be applied to the edges of the web 20 are fedfrom supply rolls 42 and over an adhesive applying roll 44 which iscoated with suitable adhesive from a tray 46. At both sides of the roll44 the cords are wrapped one or more times about friction posts 48 and49 so that the cords are under substantial tension when passing over theroll 44 and while being guided into engagement with the webs 20 and 29.The cords are then directed from the posts 49 to the bite of the rolls26 and 28 between the feed paths of the pasteboard web 20 and the paperweb 29. As seen in FIG. 1, the converging angle of the path of the cordscauses the cords to contact the cover paper before engaging the edges ofthe web 20.

Referring to FIG. 5, it may be seen that the cords are directed frompoints spaced laterally from the edges of the pasteboard web by posts52. Also before contacting the cover paper, the cords are first alignedprecisely with the edges of the pasteboard web by guide members 54 whichare carried by blocks 56 adjustably fixed to a transverse rod 58. Theblocks 56 are secured to the rod by setscrews (not shown) so that thespacing of the guide members 54 may be adjusted along the rod 58 toaccommodate pasteboard webs of diiferent widths. The rod is carried atone end of a bar 59 which is pivotally mounted at its opposite end by ashoulder screw 60 fixed in a cross bar 62 secured to the edge guides 24.Thus it may be seen that the cord guides 54 are capable of closelyfollowing the edges of the pasteboard web regardless of any lateraldisplacement of the web. The cords 40 are directed from the posts 52 bythe inner sides of the cord guide members '54 into precise andcontinuous alignment with the pasteboard web 20.

Due to the arrangement of the coverging feed paths it may be seen thatthe cords are first applied to the cover paper while in precisealignment with the edges of the pasteboard web. Since the cords areunder substantial tension and since both the cords and the cover paperare coated with adhesive, the cords are thus caused to adhere firmly tothe cover paper while in precise alignment with the edges of thepasteboard web. As the cover paper, cords and pasteboard web are fedbetween the combining rolls 26 and 28, the cover paper 29 is applied toone side of the pasteboard web 20 while the cords 40 are wiped down intoprecise engagement with its edges. Referring to FIG. 2, the relativepositions of the cover paper, cords and the pasteboard web may be seenas they appear after being combined by the combining rolls. Since theweb of cover paper 29 is of greater width than the pasteboard web, thepaper extends beyond the edges of the pasteboard to form ledges againstwhich the cords 40 are retained, the adhesive coating on the cords alsocausing the cords to adhere to the edges of the pasteboard web. With thecords held under substantial tension against both the cover paper andthe edge of the pasteboard web there is no tendency for the cords to bedisplaced.

In the condition illustrated in FIG. 2, the combined webs andreinforcing cords are fed to folding guides 70 (also seen in FIG. 4)which fold the cover paper around the reinforcing cords 40 and againstthe under surface of the pasteboard Web to the condition illustrated inFIG. 3. The assembly is then fed between a pair of pressure rolls 72 toinsure that the cover paper is firmly adhered to both sides of thepasteboard web.

Thus it may be seen from the foregoing and by reference to FIG. 3, thatthe reinforcing cords 40 are precisely aligned with and firmly securedto the edges of the pasteboard web 20 so that when box blanks are cutfrom the web the edges of the boxes formed therefrom are firmlyreinforced.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is? *1. In a machine formaking a reinforced composite web, a pair of opposed pressure rollsbetween which a first web and a second web are fed from convergingpaths,

the second web being of greater width and adhesively coated on thesurface engaging the first web, means for guiding a pair of reinforcingcords between said converging paths into engagement 'with the coatedsurface of the second web and thereafter into engagement with the edgesof the first Web, said guiding means including members guiding saidcords and having portions engaging the opposite edges of the first webfor precisely aligning the cords with said edges when the cords engagethe coated surface of the second web, and means for folding the marginsof the second web around the cords and the edges of the first web afterpassing through said rolls.

2. In a machine for making a reinforced web, a pair of opposed pressurerolls between which a first web and a second web are fed from convergingpaths, the second web being of greater width and adhesively coated onthe surface engaging the first web, means for guiding a pair ofreinforcing cords between said converging paths into engagement with thecoated surface of the second web and thereafter into engagement with theedges of the first web, said guiding means including members guidingsaid cords and having portions engaging the opposite edges of the firstweb for precisely aligning the cords with said edges when the cordsengage the coated surface of the second web, and means mounting saidmembers for unitary lateral movements for fol-lowing lateraldisplacement of the first Web.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,928,838 Marcus Oct. 3, 1933 2,076,343 Humphner Apr. 6, 1937 2,195,959Maguire Apr. 2, 1940 2,673,643 Blank et al. Mar. 30, 1954 2,729,055Tobias Jan. 3, 1956

